Geelong will have a fight on their hands against a Melbourne squad determined to bounce back from a poor round one performance.
Who wins these five matchups could determine which club will get the four points.
Joel Selwood v Jack Viney
Two contested beasts, both have very similar game styles: Get in the pack, get the ball, get it out.
Viney is yet to return to full form, but this won’t stop Selwood from getting physical in the contest.
After Melbourne’s loss to Port Adelaide in round one, expect Viney to lead from the front and challenge his team to lift against a Geelong outfit high on confidence after their win against Collingwood.
Selwood will lead out the Cats at GMHBA Stadium for the first time this season.
Rhys Stanley v Max Gawn
After getting the better of Brodie Grundy when it mattered in round one, Stanley faces another huge challenge opposed to Max Gawn on Saturday.
Gawn will be looking to fight back with a big performance on Saturday after being criticised by various media outlets for his performance against the Power in round one.
Port Adelaide put a lot of work into him off the back, but Geelong Coach Chris Scott said he won't be using the same tactics this week.
"I heard Max say it wasn't unexpected, it's just what happens,” Scott said
“It's been focused on a little more this week than it has in previous games, but I don't think that will really change our approach that much."
Tim Kelly v Angus Brayshaw
Geelong’s tied runner-up best and fairest in 2018 and the third placed winner for the 2018 Brownlow Medal.
These two inside midfielders are smooth movers and possess the ability to weave through traffic with ease to find space.
Both young, agile and with elite kicking skills. Brayshaw and Kelly going head-to-head will be a contest worth watching for years to come.
Let’s see who can get the better of the other on this encounter.
Tom Stewart v Jake Melksham
Melksham was one of the best players at sending the ball inside 50 through 2018.
In Geelong’s last three games against the Dees, they’ve lost the inside 50 count by an average of 14.3.
If they want to get the win, a big part of stopping Melbourne will surround putting a damper on Melksham’s game.
Stewart should be the perfect man for the job, as he can play one-on-one and intercept the ball at an elite level.
Gary Ablett V Neville Jetta
Gazza’s modified role is sure to take up some real estate in the minds of opposition coaches.
Which is why we could see Neville Jetta take on Ablett through the game as he continues his part-time role as an attacking forward.
Jetta, one of the league’s best small defenders, was placed in the All-Australian squad of 40 in 2017.
He’s taken on some of the best small forwards in the league, such as Eddie Betts and Robbie Gray.
Will the eight time All-Australian and dual Brownlow Medallist be too much to handle?
